Hiromu Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru

[5.0] "I don't think that this was bad and what we did see here was good but it it's not like a proper match could develop here, Hiromu immediately tries to go for the big moves against Kanemaru, however Kanemaru manages to outsmart Hiromu and he then goes on to practically destroy Hiromu's legs with his legwork and even if it was rather short, it does make sense as to why Hiromu tapped as quickly as he did. I must say tho, when they teased the count-out finish, they nearly got me when Kanemaru threw the chair at Hiromu, I actually thought Hiromun was going to be counted out there for a second. Anyways, this match was pretty much just Kanemaru's leg-work, which was good and from a story-telling perspective it does make sense, but it didn't allow for a proper match to develop."

[8.0] "Marvelous story, not only within the match itself, but also in the context of the whole tournament, and how the effects of the match played out in the next two nigths. Really easy to have a match this good when you have wrestlers the quality of Takahashi and Kanemaru."

[7.0] "Kanemaru was here to destroy Takahashi's leg and he did so. His legwork was a masterclass whereas Hiromu sold the shit pretty well. Maybe the later needed a bit more offense, but nevermind. The Heel Master, as always, showed why he earned this moniker."

[5.0] "Not much to say about this one. Probably Kanemaru's best match of the tourney thus far. It told a nice story with Kanemaru relentlessly targeting Hiromu's legs and getting a tap out victory. This will likely lead to some interesting matches down the line and probably stop Hiromu from getting into the final. **1/2"

[5.0] "I appreciate it told a neat story and will be paid off as the tournament goes on, but as a match itself it wasn't particularly interesting with Kanemaru more or less completely dominating against the ace of the division. **1/2"

[4.0] "This is probably the only match on the card I didn't get into at any point. It was all pretty straightforward and short, a real A to B kind of match which set out to give Kanemaru a big win and cast doubt on Hiromu's future within the tournament. It did that but not much else."

[6.0] "The storytelling in this match was the highlight, Kanemaru worked the legs the entire time, which resulted in Hiromu tapping out due to a Figure 4. This could possibly lead to an angle where Hiromu ends up not winning this tournament because of a leg injury. 6/10"

[8.0] "Really dominant showing from Kanemaru, making all the sheenanigans and dirty play to get the victory over Tahakashi, who surely will be injured for the next matches of the tournament. This is a side of Kanemaru I was really hoping to see a long time ago. [***3/4]"

[6.0] "A real upset of the whole tournament. Hiromu Takahashi made the right strategic decision, if you can't win after such sneaky attacks, it's better to keep your health for the next matches. Yoshinobu Kanemaru immediately came to destroy with a branded foursome and deadly leg grabs using a chair. As a result, the shock moment worked and we see that we can still be surprised."

[6.0] "Remember Kanemaru as a Heel Master and this are the kind of matches he will make in the most part so it is all the gimmick. Hiromu did a decent selling here."

[6.0] "Yoshinobu Kanemaru's heel and leg work here was masterclass. He dismantled Hiromu's leg and got the tap-out victory in quick order as one of the shortest matches of the tourney. I think this match could have big implications on the tourney as Hiromu starts to lose more and Kanemaru starts to win more."

[6.0] "Of course not the masterpiece of wrestling in the ring but extremely interesting booking with that loss by Hiromu."

[6.0] "Kanemaru hasn't impressed me in this tournament and actually continues being unimpressive, but this time I can appreciate his work. This was surely one pivotal moment in the tournament and added a lot of flavor to the stale dynamic of the A Block."

[7.0] "This is probably going to be a major point in the tournament for Hiromu and could be the reason he doesn't make it to the finals. Kanemaru really focused on Hiromu's legs and tried to get a count out victory after smashing Hiromu's legs with a chair. Good story match."